Boot stretcher



March 21, 11950 E. GALTERIO BOOT STRETCHER' "2 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed Oct.2, 1948 INVENTOR. fL /A GALTISR/O E. GALTERIO BOOT STRETCHER March 211,1950 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed Oct. 2, 1948 INVENTOR. ZL/ GALTER/O.

ATTORNEY Patented Mar. 21, 1950 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE BOOTSTRETCH-ER Elia Galterio, Denver, 0010.

Application October 2, 1948, Serial No. 52,492

4 Claims.

1 This invention relates to a boot stretching device and. has for itsprincipal "object the provision of a boot stretcher which can be easily.in- I serted in a boot and by means of which a boot may be stretched atany desired point without affecting the size thereof at other points.

A further object of the invention is to provide a simple, easily usedand emciently operating stretcher by means of which a boot may beselectively stretched for length and width of the foot portion and forwidth at either the top or bottom of the leg portion as desired.

Other objects and advantages reside in the detail construction of theinvention, which is designed for simplicity, economy, and efficiency.These will become more apparent from the following description.

In the following detailed description of the invention, reference is hadto the accompanying drawing which forms a part hereof. Like numeralsrefer to like parts in all views of the drawing and throughout thedescription.

In the drawing:

Fig. 1 is a back view of the improved boot stretcher;

Fig. 2 is a side view thereof;

Fig. 3 is a top view thereof;

Fig. 4 is a vertical sectional view taken on the line 44, Fig. 1;

Fig. 5 is a similar sectional View taken on the line Fig. 4; and

Fig. 6 is a detail sectional view taken on the line EE, Fig. 4..

The improved stretcher comprises an expansible leg portion adapted to beinserted in the leg of a boot and an expansible foot portion hingedlymounted on the leg portion and adapted to be inserted in the foot of aboot. The leg portion. may be selectively expanded either at its top,its bottom or both and the foot portion may be selectively expanded bothas to width and length. The various expanding actions are allaccomplished from the top of the stretcher after it is in place in theboot.

The leg portion of the device consists of a front leg portion Ill and arear leg portion II joined by means of toggle links. The toggle linksare arranged in two groups consisting of eight links each. The uppergroup comprises two sets of four links i2 and the lower group is similarand also comprises two sets of four links H5.

The two sets of links l3 are arranged at opposite sides of a verticaloperating shaft I4 and the four links of each set are hinged together attheir extremities to form collapsible quadrangles. The horizontallyopposite hinge points comprise hinge pins [5 extending oppositelyoutward from hinge blocks I 6 and H. The vertically opposite hingepoints comprise hinge pins H! which extend oppositely outward from lowernut members IS.

The two sets of links [2 are arranged at opposite sides of a verticaltubular shaft 20 which surrounds the operating shaft I l. Thehorizontally opposite hinge points of each set of four links 12 comprisehinge pins 2i which extend oppositely outward from hinge blocks 22 and23. The vertically opposite hinge points of the upper links f2 comprisehinge pins 24 which extend oppositely outward from upper nut members 25.

The hinge blocks it and 22 are formed on the inside of the front legportion 10 and the nut blocks I! and 23 are mounted on a vertical slidebar 2 6.. The rear leg member 1 l contains a vertical channel slide 2"!which fits over and slidably engages the slide bar 26 to support therear leg member 'l'l thereon.

The lower nut members 19 are threaded on right and left hand "threads'28, respectively formed on the lower extremity of the operating shaftM. The upper nut members 25 are similarly threaded on right and lefthand threads '29, respectively, formed on the tubular shaft 20.

Thus it can be seen that when the operating shaft i4 is rotated in onedirection the nut members l9 will spread so as to separate the lowerportions of the leg members l0 and ll and when rotated in the otherdirection they will draw the lower portions thereof together. It canalso be seen that when the tubular shaft 20 is rotated in one directionit will act to spread the nut members 25 so as to separate the upperportions of the leg members l0 and II and when rotated in the otherdirection it will act to draw the upper portions together.

The selective rotation of the shafts l4 and 20 is accomplished by meansof a key sleeve 30 which is slidably .moun-ted upon the upper extremityof the operating shaft l4 above the tubular shaft 20. Two clutch dogs 31project downward from the sleeve 30 which engage in notches '32 in theupper extremity of the tubular shaft 20 and two notches 33 which can bebrought into engagement with a cross-key 34. The sleeve is rotated bymeans of a handle member 35.

Should it be desired to expand the upper part of the leg portion, thesleeve 30 is :foroed downwardlyuntil the dogs 31 engage the notches 32.Rotation of the sleeve will now rotate the tubular shaft 20, causing thenut members 25 to either approach or recede from each other, whichaction is transmitted through the links l2 to expand or contract theupper part of the leg portions.

Should it be desired to expand the lower part of the leg portions, thesleeve 30 is lifted until the notches 33 engage the key 34. Rotation ofthe sleeve will now be transmitted to the operating shaft 28, causingthe nut members l9 to approach or depart from each other so as to expandand contract the lower part of the leg portions.

A foot member 36, conforming in general to the shape of the forwardportion of a shoe last, is hinged upon hinge bolts 3'! extending throughdownwardly-depending ears 38 formed on the front leg portion Ill. Thefoot member 36 is hollow and opens to the bottom, forming a mechanismcavity 39. The bottom of the cavity 39 is closed by means of a bottomplate 40 detachably secured by means of suitable screws 4 I.

An inclined shaft 42 extends through the cavity 39 and is rotatablymounted therein. The shaft 42 carries two adjacent sets of right andleft-hand threads 43. A nut 44 is mounted on each set of threads 43. Twooppositely extending expansion links 45 extend from each nut 44.

A foot stretching member 46 is mounted in each side of the foot member36, supported by the bottom plate 40. Each of the stretching members 45carries two hinge pins 41. The links 45 extend from the hinge pins 41 topivotal connections on the nuts 44 so that each of the stretchingmembers 46 will be connected with both of the nuts 44. The shaft 42 isrotated through the medium of universal joints 48 from a vertical shaft49. The upper extremity of the shaft 49 is formed with a key slot 50 toreceive the extremity of a T-shaped actuating key It can be readily seenby anyone with average intelligence that if the key 5| be rotated backand forth, it will oscillate the shaft 42, causing the nuts 44 to moveoppositely therealong to expand and retract the stretching blocks 45. Itwill be noted that the foot portion 36 is free to swing at any desiredangle to the axis of the leg portion.

In use, all of the elements of the device are contracted to theirsmallest positions. The rear leg portion H is removed from the bar 26.The foot portion 36 is turned downwardly into partial alignment with thefront leg portion H]. The entire device is then lowered into the boot,the forward portion turning automatically into the toe portion of theboot.

The rear leg portion H is now inserted into the leg of the boot, withthe channel slide 21 engaging the slide bar 26, and is forced downwardlyuntil the lower extremity of the rear leg portion rests in the heel ofthe boot. The shafts I4, 20, and 49 are now manipulated as desired tostretch the boot at any desired point.

For lengthwise stretching, the shaft I4 is employed, which pushes thelower heel extremity of the portion ll against the heel counter of theboot so as to urge the foot portion forwardly into the toe thereof.After the stretching has been completed, the entire device is contractedto its smallest dimension and the rear leg portion II is withdrawn fromthe boot to allow the remainder to be easily displaced therefrom.

While a specific form of the improvement has been described andillustrated herein, it is to be understood that the same may be varied,within the scope of the appended claims, Without departing from thespirit of the invention.

Having thus described the invention, what is claimed and desired securedby Letters Patent is:

l. A boot stretcher comprising: a front leg portion; a back leg portion,said two leg portions cooperating to form a complete structure forinsertion in the leg of a boot; a foot portion hingedly mounted on thelower extremity of said front leg portion so as to swing in a verticalplane; foot-stretching blocks mounted in the sides of said foot portion;a tubular shaft extending between said leg portions; oppositely actingnut members threaded on said tubular shaft; toggle links extending fromsaid nut members to the upper extremities of said leg portions so thatwhen said shaft is rotated, said portions will be moved away from eachother; an operating shaft extending through said tubular shaft; means onsaid operating shaft for expanding the lower extremities of said legportions; and independent means for causing said stretching blocks toapproach and recede from each other.

2. A boot stretcher comprising: a front leg portion; a back leg portion,said two leg portions cooperating to form a complete structure forinsertion in the leg of a boot; a foot portion hingedly mounted on thelower extremity of said front leg portion so as to swing in a verticalplane; foot-stretching blocks mounted in the sides of said foot portion;a tubular shaft extending between said leg portions; oppositely actingnut members threaded on said tubular shaft; toggle links extending fromsaid nut members to the upper extremities of said leg portions so thatwhen said shaft is rotated, said portions will be moved away from eachother; an operating shaft extending through said tubular shaft;oppositely acting threads on said operating shaft; nut members mountedon said threads; links connecting said nut members with the lower partsof said leg portions; means for independently rotating said tubular andsaid operating shafts; and independent actuating means for causing saidfootstretching members to approach and recede from each other, saidshafts and said actuating means being operable from the upperextremities of said leg portions.

3. A boot stretcher comprising: a vertical actuating shaft; a tubularshaft surrounding said actuating shaft; means for rotating either shaftindependently; oppositely acting nut members threaded on each of saidshafts; an upper set of toggle links extending from the nut members onthe tubular shaft; a lower set of toggle links extending from the nutmembers on the actuating shaft; a front leg portion connected to bothsets of toggle links; a vertical slide bar connected to both sets oftoggle links; a back leg portion slidably mounted on said slide bar soas to be vertically withdrawable therefrom; and a foot portion mountedon the lower extremity of said front leg portion.

4. A boot stretcher comprising: a vertical actuating shaft; a tubularshaft surrounding said actuating shaft; means for rotating either shaftindependently; oppositely acting nut members threaded on each of saidshafts; an upper set of toggle links extending from the nut members onthe tubular shaft; a lower set of toggle links extending from the nutmembers on the actuating shaft; a front leg portion connected to bothsets of toggle links; a vertical slide bar connected to both sets oftoggle links; a back leg portion slidably mounted on said slide bar soas to be vertically withdrawable therefrom; a foot portion hinged to thelower extremity of said front leg 5 6 portion so as to swing forwardlytherefrom side- UNITED STATES PATENTS warclly expanding meansincorporated in sand foot portion; and. actuating means extending Numbera e Date vertically between said leg portions and being 8,467 H ndrixOct. 28, 1851 operatively connected to said expanding means 5 7,067Wi11m0tt Apr. 14, 1857 for expanding the latter. 24,787 Bette et a1 July19, 1859 ELI GAL'IERIO 522,069 MacDonald. June 26, 1894 1,902,251 MaierMay 25, 1931 REFERENCES CITED 2,025,173 Meyer Dec. 24, 1935 Thefollowing references are of record in the 10 2385270 Gregory Sept' 1945file of this patent:

